Injury Brigade, a team with a name that sounds like a walking disaster waiting to happen, took their turn at the draft board in the League of Dynasties. With a draft grade of B-, they managed to secure the 9th spot in the draft order, which is neither impressive nor disastrous. In a league of 12 teams, Injury Brigade is projected to finish 5th with a record of 9-6-0, proving that they are the masters of being just average.
While Injury Brigade may not have made any groundbreaking picks, they did manage to surprise everyone with their knack for drafting players on bye week 13. With a whopping 6 players on bye, they are clearly aiming for a week of relaxation while their opponents scramble to fill their rosters. But let's not forget their achievement in the cornerback department. Injury Brigade decided to defy the league average of 2.3 CBs and went all out, drafting a total of 5 cornerbacks. Because who needs balance and variety when you can have an abundance of cornerbacks, right? All in all, Injury Brigade's draft performance proves that they are truly living up to their name - a walking injury waiting to happen.
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ADP Analysis
Bars above zero indicate a pick was selected later than a player's ADP. Bars below zero show players that were taken earlier than their ADP.
Inside the Draft
Player Outlooks
- Round 1, Pick 9 - Bye 6
2023 Rank: 69 - 2022 Rank: 11
Fields had the second-best rushing season ever for a quarterback, and the Bears really didn't turn him loose until just before mid season. Durability down the stretch became a concern, as he injured his shoulder. Fields lacked legitimate receiving weapons last season. As a result, it was very difficult for the passing game to have any consistency. There was a short period of time after the coaching staff opened up the offense in which he had both Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet, and they had moderate success during that time. But Fields threw for over 190 yards just twice, with 254 being his highest mark of the season. However, he did throw touchdown passes in 11 of his last 13 games. With the team adding DJ Moore at receiver, Fields now goes into 2023 with a legitimate arsenal of weapons. If he's even passable as a thrower, this offense can quickly make a massive jump forward. And as long as Fields has his rushing ability, he'll be a very high-floor fantasy option. Improved passing production could make him elite.
- Round 2, Pick 21 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 11 - 2022 Rank: 108
The 17th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Lamb's numbers have climbed steadily through his first three seasons. He emerged as Dak Prescott's clear top option in 2022 after Amari Cooper was traded to the Browns. Lamb's production really took off last year once Prescott put a thumb injury behind him, and after the Cowboys' Week 9 bye, the wideout averaged nearly 90 yards a game through 11 regular-season and postseason contests while finding the end zone seven times. That breakthrough was more impressive considering the Oklahoma product was essentially a one-man show downfield for Dallas last year, as the front office never found an adequate replacement for Cooper, but that shouldn't be an issue in 2023. Lamb's supporting cast got a significant boost in the spring with the addition of Brandin Cooks, whose ability to stretch the field should open things up underneath on the routes where Lamb thrives. While it is hard to project Lamb's target volume to increase much beyond the 9.2 passes per game he saw in 2022, his efficiency might find another gear if Cooks can draw attention from defenders.
- Round 3, Pick 33 - Bye 14
2023 Rank: 13 - 2022 Rank: 34
There are very few players in NFL history who compare to Ekeler, and aside from maybe Jahmyr Gibbs, none are in the league today. Among active players Ekeler is one of a kind, and the Chargers offense would be in a lot of trouble without him. Ekeler has reached volume/efficiency thresholds as a pass catcher otherwise only matched historically by Marshall Faulk, so when a pass catcher that productive adds 25 rushing touchdowns over two years it's unsurprising that Ekeler is now a consensus first-round fantasy pick. Ekeler is too small to hold up with a big rushing workload (that's why he's not Faulk), but his per-carry returns are excellent and his effectiveness as a runner should never be questioned. As much as Ekeler might be vulnerable to rushing touchdown regression, it won't occur on the basis of ability - if the touchdown carries are there for the taking, Ekeler is still a great bet to claim them. After a brief contract standoff earlier in the offseason, Ekeler raised the white flag and clarified that he will report for training camp.
- Round 4, Pick 45 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 28 - 2022 Rank: 335
Andrews had a massive year in 2021 with personal bests by margins of 43 catches (107) and 509 yards (1,361), including the most productive stretch of his career while catching passes from backup QB Tyler Huntley. It was a much different story in 2022, when Andrews averaged 63.1 yards in the nine games for which he and Lamar Jackson both were healthy but then dropped to 49.2 yards in five regular-season games with Huntley taking most of the snaps. All five of Andrews' TDs came from Jackson, who inked a five-year extension with Baltimore this offseason and now has more help after the signing of WR Odell Beckham and drafting of WR Zay Flowers. That amounts to more target competition for Andrews, but he's still the most trusted of Baltimore's receiving options and could end up running more routes under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, formerly the OC at Georgia. Kansas City's Travis Kelce remains in a league of his own, of course, but it's otherwise hard to name another tight end with a floor or ceiling higher than Andrews'.
- Round 5, Pick 57 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 72 - 2022 Rank: 6
Lawrence made a second-year leap under new coach Doug Pederson, posting a 25:8 TD:INT after mustering a 12:17 mark during his forgettable rookie season. The first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft enters his third season as an established top-10 fantasy QB, but Lawrence's ceiling is higher than that, as he still has a few obvious areas for further improvement. Lawrence's 7.0 YPA in 2022 ranked a pedestrian 18th, and the underrated runner mustered only 291 yards on the ground after rushing for 334 as a rookie, though Lawrence increased his rushing TD total from two to five. He'll also be working with an improved supporting cast in 2023, as the Jaguars added WR Calvin Ridley - who had 1,374 receiving yards for the Falcons in 2020 but sat out 2022 entirely due to a gambling suspension - while retaining their top four skill position players from last season (WRs Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, TE Evan Engram and RB Travis Etienne). Playing in the underwhelming AFC South could be both a blessing and a curse for Lawrence. While the Jaguars are favored to repeat as division champs, they will likely spend the majority of their six games against the Titans, Colts and Texans playing from a lead, thus potentially limiting Lawrence's volume after he attempted 670 passes last year - sixth-most in the NFL.
- Round 6, Pick 69 - Bye 6
2023 Rank: 76 - 2022 Rank: 348
Pickens, a 2022 second-round pick, had a sluggish and injury-ridden conclusion to his time at Georgia on account of an ACL tear suffered during spring practices in 2021. He recovered during his rookie season with the Steelers, fetching 52 receptions for 801 yards and four touchdowns. He made several remarkable catches and showed a knack for snagging contested ones, yet struggled with obtaining separation from cornerbacks. As a result, he drew only 84 targets in 17 games despite playing 882 snaps. At 6-foot-3, with 4.47 speed and strong hands, Pickens doesn't necessarily need to be a great route-runner to thrive. He does figure to make at least small steps forward in that regard, and he enters Year 2 locked in alongside Diontae Johnson and TE Pat Freiermuth as the main targets for QB Kenny Pickett. As bad as Pickett's overall numbers were last season, he showed progress throughout the year and figures to benefit from the Steelers' sizable offseason investment in blocking. There's also the matter of Johnson finishing with no TDs and fewer than 900 yards on nearly 150 targets last year, which would seem to point toward other players -- namely Pickens and Freiermuth -- taking on more of the team's receiving volume this season.
- Round 7, Pick 76 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 66 - 2022 Rank: 354
London had a great start and a great finish to his rookie season, but the nine games that fell between those periods of production were uninspiring. In the first three games of the season, the eighth overall pick averaged 5.3 receptions for 71 yards and scored two touchdowns. Over the last five games of the year, he fell below 70 yards just once. In between those two stretches, he had 40 or fewer yards in nine consecutive games. Some of his downswing may have been due to Marcus Mariota being the QB, especially after defenses had an idea how the Falcons wanted to 'run' their offense. However, the fact that London played his best football with Desmond Ridder under center bodes well for his future. Utilized both outside and in the slot, London was able to win matchups even when defenses focused on him after TE Kyle Pitts suffered a season-ending injury. London's overall numbers didn't look great, but he had enough big games to show that he has the makings of a star. While the Falcons figure to sport a run-first offense again, it's a safe bet London and Pitts dominate whatever volume the passing game provides.
- Round 8, Pick 93 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 1122 - 2022 Rank: 28
After showing promise in his first two seasons in the NFL, Okereke emerged as a top inside linebacker across the second half of his rookie contract. Between 2021 and 2022 combined, he piled up 283 tackles for the Colts and was available for all 34 games. The third-round pick out of Stanford turned that production into a four-year, $40 million contract from the Giants this offseason. He'll enjoy working behind Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence, both of whom should help occupy blockers and keep Okereke clean to make plays. Okereke will immediately be counted upon as a leader in the middle of coordinator Don Martindale's scheme, as both of the Giants' top two tacklers from 2022 (Julian Love and Jaylon Smith) departed in free agency.
- Round 9, Pick 100 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 1131 - 2022 Rank: 60
Not all careers progress linearly, but Wilson's certainly has. A third-round pick in 2020, Wilson served primarily on special teams as a rookie. He took a step forward in 2021, only to truly break out in 2022 by tallying 123 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Though he's not overly athletic, Wilson has shown enough intelligence to be an asset in coverage as he has racked up 11 passes defended and seven interceptions across 40 career games. He's a true three-down linebacker. Heading into the final year of his rookie contract, Wilson will certainly be a key member of the Bengals defense yet again. The only question is his health, as he's missed eight games in his three-year career.
- Round 10, Pick 117 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 1262 - 2022 Rank: 44
Hicks joined the Vikings in 2022, his third team in his eight-year NFL career. He didn't miss a beat with the switch, tallying 128 tackles - the second-highest mark of his career - to top the century mark for the fourth consecutive campaign. Minnesota also asked Hicks to take on additional responsibilities in coverage, and he rose to the occasion by racking up 10 passes defensed. Entering his age-31 season, Hicks has been a picture of health by playing in every game across the last four campaigns. Assuming that continues, he'll remain a prominent member of the defense and is also a good bet to add to his impressive career resume.
- Round 11, Pick 124 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 1248 - 2022 Rank: 35
Kendricks has established himself as one of the premier inside linebackers across his prolific eight-year career. He can safely be penciled in for 100 tackles, as he even managed 107 stops across 11 games in an injury-plagued 2021 campaign. In addition to his run-stuffing abilities, Kendricks is also excellent in coverage, as he's managed at least six passes defended in all but two seasons. His work as a pass rusher is a bit more inconsistent, though he did rack up five sacks as recently as 2021. The one thing that has changed for the first time in his career is Kendricks' team, as he left Minnesota to join the Chargers in the offseason. That should mean little in terms of a change in role, as the team committed $13.3 million to him across the next two seasons. Despite the shift in scenery, expect more of the same from Kendricks in 2023.
- Round 12, Pick 141 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 1668 - 2022 Rank: 203
- Round 13, Pick 148 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 1570 - 2022 Rank: 232
- Round 14, Pick 165 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 1576 - 2022 Rank: 410
- Round 15, Pick 172 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 442 - 2022 Rank: 170
- Round 16, Pick 189 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 455 - 2022 Rank: 171
- Round 17, Pick 196 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 492 - 2022 Rank: 135
- Round 18, Pick 213 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 73 - 2022 Rank: 296
Pacheco's rookie season was a smashing success, and one the former Rutgers standout could potentially build on in his second NFL season. Pacheco's hard-charging, high-speed approach as a runner between the tackles makes him difficult for defenses to handle as they more so concern themselves with Patrick Mahomes, so there's not much reason to fear regression from Pacheco's average of 4.9 yards per carry from 2022. Pacheco has the speed to score from long range, yet in 2022 he had only three carries over 20 yards and none over 40 - both of those numbers would be good bets to rise in 2023. There's also room for growth in Pacheco's pass-catching production. The Chiefs increased his route-running workload as the season progressed, and Pacheco was occasionally effective as a receiver in his Rutgers days. Jerick McKinnon is still around to poach passing-down snaps if Pacheco slips up, and former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire can't be written off entirely either, but Pacheco has the clear lead in this backfield and plenty of momentum behind him.
- Round 19, Pick 220 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 36 - 2022 Rank: 227
A second-round pick in 2020, Swift flashed his talent and upside over three seasons with the Lions but also demonstrated an unfortunate propensity for getting hurt, and he got flipped to the Eagles in the offseason. Having proven he can't hold up under a big workload, the Georgia product could find himself in a somewhat ideal situation in the final year of his rookie contract, as coach Nick Sirianni has leaned toward using a backfield committee during his time at the helm in Philadelphia. The big question will be who's involved in that committee for any particular week in 2023. Miles Sanders is now in Carolina, but Swift will be joined by fellow injury-prone newcomer Rashaad Penny, and holdovers Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott have had their moments in an Eagles uniform. Swift's three-down skill set gives him more versatility than Penny, but the duo could both be extremely effective behind the team's elite offensive line if reduced volume allows them to stay out of the trainer's room.
- Round 20, Pick 237 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 1659 - 2022 Rank: 923
- Round 21, Pick 244 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 1675 - 2022 Rank: 1155
- Round 22, Pick 261 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 201 - 2022 Rank: 280
Sanders managed a career-high 41 PATs in coach Mike McDaniel's high-flying offense last season, while also converting 81 percent of his 32 field-goal attempts. He went an impressive 12 of 13 from the 40-49 range, but only converted 2 of 6 from 50+ yards out. Though he may not be more than a slightly above league-average kicker, Sanders' leg strength allows his number to be dialed from a wide range of positions on the field. The Dolphins' offense projects to be among one of the league's better scoring units, and if the team's additions on defense also work out, Sanders could find himself in position to close out games more often.
- Round 23, Pick 268 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 1892 - 2022 Rank: 1102
- Round 24, Pick 285 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 147 - 2022 Rank: 1573
The Chiefs surprised most when they selected Rice in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft (55th overall), as the former SMU star was more so expected to be a Day 3 selection. The Chiefs might have been onto something, though, because Rice was a very productive player at SMU and his athletic testing at the combine was better than expected (4.51-second 40, 41-inch vertical at 6-foot-1, 204). Not just that, but Patrick Mahomes requested that the Chiefs select Rice at some point in the draft. In addition to his springy athleticism, Rice plays with a physicality that makes him a threat both at the catch point and as a ballcarrier after the catch. Fantasy drafters might be leery of Rice's rookie season after Skyy Moore disappointed as a second-round pick in 2022, but it's worth noting that Rice has a more versatile skill set than Moore. Whereas Moore can only realistically earn snaps in the slot, Rice can credibly compete for reps at any wide receiver position in the Chiefs offense.
- Round 25, Pick 292 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 1418 - 2022 Rank: 146
- Round 26, Pick 309 - Bye 14
2023 Rank: 1162 - 2022 Rank: 101
White took several years to break out, though he progressively ramped up both his snap count and production with the Chargers until he broke out in 2021. He took a modest step back in terms of tackles in 2022 with the Eagles, but he still topped the century mark for the second consecutive campaign. One key skill he displayed in Philly was his work in coverage. After breaking up only 10 passes combined across his first four seasons in the league, he logged seven in 2022 alone. White signed a two-year deal with the Cardinals this offseason and will be a key figure in turning around a defense that struggled at nearly every level in 2022. As a result, he's a good bet to rack up tackles and perhaps some other peripheral stats once again in 2023.
- Round 27, Pick 316 - Bye 14
2023 Rank: 1121 - 2022 Rank: 71
- Round 28, Pick 333 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 1386 - 2022 Rank: 162
- Round 29, Pick 340 - Bye 6
2023 Rank: 1462 - 2022 Rank: 244
Team Forecast
Bye Week Points Lost
Each bar represents the total projected season points for each player that's on bye that week. This chart shows any potential bye week issues.
Schedule by Opponent Points
Week-by-week schedule with each opponent's projected season points. This chart shows any difficult or easy stretches in the schedule.
